The Bear

A bold redevelopment with deep roots

In a remarkable blend of heritage and innovation, a historically significant urban site - once home to a Ragged School - has been reimagined into a vibrant new church and pioneering housing development.

This ambitious project showcases the power of thoughtful design and community collaboration in transforming a constrained city space into a hub of faith, art, and living.

our approach

Collaboration at the core

The success of this redevelopment lies in the extraordinary partnership among highly motivated and invested organizations. At the heart of this effort is KILO, serving as a coordinator and driving force behind the project’s realization.

This initiative brings together diverse stakeholders, each contributing unique expertise and passion:

- An active church and community organization deeply connected to the   existing building, bringing vision and local insight.

- A specialist charity, which, as the site’s freeholder, provided essential   stewardship and guidance.

- A developer with a strong commitment to housing, community, and the   arts, ensuring the project delivers meaningful value to its residents and   neighbours.

Value of work: £7,000,000

Status: Completed

Type of contract: Development Agreement

Services: Architecture